The business trip...
Date: 5, March 2002 (Backdated)
Day: Wednesday
Time: Morning - Noonish
Location: Weasley Wizard Wheezes Shop, then Flat
Character(s) Involved: Fred Weasley, George Weasley, Tori Castille, Henri Sims, Christian Bartel
Complete or incomplete: Complete
Abby had the day off and Henri was taking the afternoon shift, for the next few days. This left Fred and George in the managers' chair, for the morning. George stood dutifully at the counter, discussing a shelving rearrangement, with one of the clerks, while Fred tinkered with something, in the back.
Tori strolled into the shop, just after ten in the morning, with her usual relaxed gait. She gave George a smile that was a cross between friendly and lustful. There were times when he understood exactly why she and Fred and been together, for so long... The dark-haired girl moved passed him and peered through the doorway, into the back.
"Hello Gorgeous!" Fred exclaimed, coming to meet her at the door. Fred's arms went around Tori's slim but curved waist, as they shared a long and not-completely-work-appropriate kiss. But they had an excuse: Tori was going to California, for about a week, after all. Fred was supposed to meet her there, next Monday, but before that, he and George had business in New York.
"I'll see you Monday then," Tori purred, pulling away.
"Monday..." Fred smiled, kissing her again, before letting her walk away.
"See you next week, George," Tori said, giving him a quick hug and a peck on the cheek. It wasn't something George had been expecting. He'd been too busy not watching her and his twin brother.
"Don't have too much fun without Fred..." he advised, managing not to wince, as Fred's girlfriend deftly yanked several hairs out of his head.
"I'll try..." Tori pouted, "it'll be hard..."
With that, Tori turned and walked out of the shop.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Lunchtime rolled around. Henri came in and took over running the shop. Fred and George retreated up to their flat, for a quick snack.
"Which do you normally wear?" Tori asked, coming out of George's room, holding up two sets of robes.
"The dark blue," George informed her, pointing at the one in question. "But you won't be needing that until Friday. Thank you for doing this, Tori."
"Not a problem," Tori shrugged, laying the preferred robes on the sofa, then going to put the others back.
"This is so wrong," Fred shook his head. Even though he'd agreed that this was the best way to go about things, he was still greatly disturbed by their plan.
The three ate undisturbed. George quizzed Tori on things that he would know about the shop and the company. Owing to the fact that she practically lived at the flat, her responses and mannerisms were almost completely spot on.
Once they were done eating, Fred went downstairs, as planned, while George and Tori made final preparations. Half an hour later, George rejoined his brother, at the counter, where they continued to go over shop functions with Henri, that she could pass to Abby and Zak, when they came in, the next day... Not that the latter two didn't know most of it already. But George, as usual wanted to make sure.
"Greetings, my friends," came an American man's voice, from the shop entrance. Fred and George looked up and grinned, as Christian Bartel walked in, waving.
"Chris Bartel!" George exclaimed, walking over to greet his business associate. "What brings you back here so soon?"
"Business, as usual," Christian replied, shaking George's hand and then Fred's. "It just doesn't end."
"Well, I wish you'd told us you were coming," George frowned. "We're just about to leave on a business trip to New York."
"Well doesn't that just beat all!" Christian exclaimed in disappointment. "We always seem to be missing each other. Well, I'm glad we at least got to run into each other, this time."
"Next time, I guess," Fred sighed, "where's Steve?"
"He's stuck at a convention all week," Christian explained. "One of us had to go and he drew the short straw."
"Ah..." Fred shrugged.
"Well, it was brilliant to see you again, Chris," George said, shaking Christian's hand again. "But we have to go, or they'll give our hotel reservations away. Next time though!"
"Yes next time!" Christian sighed. "Oh! Do you have any more of those mints?"
"I'm afraid we're sold out of them, right now," George frowned. "I can send you a case, when they're ready, next week."
"That would be great," Christian beamed, "thanks, George!"
"Here, take this one," Fred told him, pulling a half-empty box out of his pocket.
"Thanks, Fred," Chris grinned. "I'll see you boys next time then."
With that, Christian left the shop. Less than an hour later, Fred and George were apparating westward, towards New York City.
Day: Wednesday
Time: Morning - Noonish
Location: Weasley Wizard Wheezes Shop, then Flat
Character(s) Involved: Fred Weasley, George Weasley, Tori Castille, Henri Sims, Christian Bartel
Complete or incomplete: Complete
Abby had the day off and Henri was taking the afternoon shift, for the next few days. This left Fred and George in the managers' chair, for the morning. George stood dutifully at the counter, discussing a shelving rearrangement, with one of the clerks, while Fred tinkered with something, in the back.
Tori strolled into the shop, just after ten in the morning, with her usual relaxed gait. She gave George a smile that was a cross between friendly and lustful. There were times when he understood exactly why she and Fred and been together, for so long... The dark-haired girl moved passed him and peered through the doorway, into the back.
"Hello Gorgeous!" Fred exclaimed, coming to meet her at the door. Fred's arms went around Tori's slim but curved waist, as they shared a long and not-completely-work-appropriate kiss. But they had an excuse: Tori was going to California, for about a week, after all. Fred was supposed to meet her there, next Monday, but before that, he and George had business in New York.
"I'll see you Monday then," Tori purred, pulling away.
"Monday..." Fred smiled, kissing her again, before letting her walk away.
"See you next week, George," Tori said, giving him a quick hug and a peck on the cheek. It wasn't something George had been expecting. He'd been too busy not watching her and his twin brother.
"Don't have too much fun without Fred..." he advised, managing not to wince, as Fred's girlfriend deftly yanked several hairs out of his head.
"I'll try..." Tori pouted, "it'll be hard..."
With that, Tori turned and walked out of the shop.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Lunchtime rolled around. Henri came in and took over running the shop. Fred and George retreated up to their flat, for a quick snack.
"Which do you normally wear?" Tori asked, coming out of George's room, holding up two sets of robes.
"The dark blue," George informed her, pointing at the one in question. "But you won't be needing that until Friday. Thank you for doing this, Tori."
"Not a problem," Tori shrugged, laying the preferred robes on the sofa, then going to put the others back.
"This is so wrong," Fred shook his head. Even though he'd agreed that this was the best way to go about things, he was still greatly disturbed by their plan.
The three ate undisturbed. George quizzed Tori on things that he would know about the shop and the company. Owing to the fact that she practically lived at the flat, her responses and mannerisms were almost completely spot on.
Once they were done eating, Fred went downstairs, as planned, while George and Tori made final preparations. Half an hour later, George rejoined his brother, at the counter, where they continued to go over shop functions with Henri, that she could pass to Abby and Zak, when they came in, the next day... Not that the latter two didn't know most of it already. But George, as usual wanted to make sure.
"Greetings, my friends," came an American man's voice, from the shop entrance. Fred and George looked up and grinned, as Christian Bartel walked in, waving.
"Chris Bartel!" George exclaimed, walking over to greet his business associate. "What brings you back here so soon?"
"Business, as usual," Christian replied, shaking George's hand and then Fred's. "It just doesn't end."
"Well, I wish you'd told us you were coming," George frowned. "We're just about to leave on a business trip to New York."
"Well doesn't that just beat all!" Christian exclaimed in disappointment. "We always seem to be missing each other. Well, I'm glad we at least got to run into each other, this time."
"Next time, I guess," Fred sighed, "where's Steve?"
"He's stuck at a convention all week," Christian explained. "One of us had to go and he drew the short straw."
"Ah..." Fred shrugged.
"Well, it was brilliant to see you again, Chris," George said, shaking Christian's hand again. "But we have to go, or they'll give our hotel reservations away. Next time though!"
"Yes next time!" Christian sighed. "Oh! Do you have any more of those mints?"
"I'm afraid we're sold out of them, right now," George frowned. "I can send you a case, when they're ready, next week."
"That would be great," Christian beamed, "thanks, George!"
"Here, take this one," Fred told him, pulling a half-empty box out of his pocket.
"Thanks, Fred," Chris grinned. "I'll see you boys next time then."
With that, Christian left the shop. Less than an hour later, Fred and George were apparating westward, towards New York City.